Chainsaw collection
Posted: Mon Mar 14, 2022 10:25 pm
Finally found some time to post my chainsaws.
Apologies for the length of this post, but I know how we all like to hear stories/our connections to our machines!
We'll start with the first saw I purchased, a Stihl MS170. Bought back in 2010 when I needed to take a bunch of overgrown shrubs and small trees at my rental property. This machine cut quite a bit of wood over the years, but unfortunately met its untimely demise 7 years later when I dropped a big dead elm on it (forgot that I had left it in the brush...) Even though it's not a very expensive saw, it is excellent for what it is, and I ended up getting another.
The next saw is what really started this obsession, a Stihl 064. I picked it up in 2015 after looking on Kijiji for a bigger saw while taking a break from cutting wood. I didn't realize at the time what a coveted saw this model is despite it's quirks. Not quite as loved as the 066, but still highly regarded. After milling one day it just died, and I suspected the worst (which ended up being the case). It had overheated and scored the piston. After taking it in and being told to toss it, I decided to try and fix myself. Replaced piston, rings etc. and a pile of other parts (all OEM). Learned a lot and really enjoyed the project.
All downhill from there!
I knew I had a problem after picking up this beast, a Stihl Contra (Lightning in North America). It's the machine that gave Stihl the boost they needed after losing all of their patents as part of WW2 reparations. Apparently they couldn't keep up with demand and we're chartering planes to get them distributed back in early 60's. This is the predecessor to the 070 and their biggest machine, the 090. They actually still make the 070 for the overseas market (and the same basic design for almost 60 years).
I got it locally in 2020 from a guy who's dad bought it new and had passed recently. It's sitting in the basement awaiting a restoration.
A few weeks later and I found another, this one a little newer (Stihl logo on recoil, not made by Fairbanks-Morse like earlier ones). It's missing the serial badge and was in a little rougher shape, but came with the original 25" bar. It was the sellers grandfather's saw, and he had plans to restore one day but things change as we know. I ended up doing a complete teardown, new crank bearings, but cleaned up piston/cylinder. All worn parts replaced (again all OEM - did as a challenge for myself more than anything else, parts from Germany and Australia). Had the muffler (cast aluminum) repaired locally. It's an absolute beast, smoky, heavy and loud =
. Can't imagine using all day in the woods!
Here's a side-by-side (with a Case blade as a backdrop
Next up was an 041 which I just finished repairing and runs strong now.
Then some more relics, an 07 and an 031. After my Contra rebuild I wants to get it's smaller "cousin" which is the 07 (but it's still 75c's!). Both run well, but have yet to get into them further. I should have grabbed the Husky 266 the guy had too, but wife was with me lol.
Next up are some vintage classics from some other brands. Pioneer 1200, 1200a, 1074 and a Lombard Commango. The Skilsaw 1629 was too far gone to repair, so ended up selling it.
Browsing marketplace and happened on these 3. A pioneer 50s, a Mac Pro 1010 auto and a John Deere CS36 (made in Italy by EFCO/Olympyk). More excited for the Mac and Pioneer, both fire. Will get I to them later.
The latest acquisition is another Stihl, this time an 084. Runs well but needs new crank bearings. It is my new milling machine and will be the next project!
Thinks that's all of them, but probably not lol.
Sent from my Pixel 4a using Tapatalk
Apologies for the length of this post, but I know how we all like to hear stories/our connections to our machines!
We'll start with the first saw I purchased, a Stihl MS170. Bought back in 2010 when I needed to take a bunch of overgrown shrubs and small trees at my rental property. This machine cut quite a bit of wood over the years, but unfortunately met its untimely demise 7 years later when I dropped a big dead elm on it (forgot that I had left it in the brush...) Even though it's not a very expensive saw, it is excellent for what it is, and I ended up getting another.
The next saw is what really started this obsession, a Stihl 064. I picked it up in 2015 after looking on Kijiji for a bigger saw while taking a break from cutting wood. I didn't realize at the time what a coveted saw this model is despite it's quirks. Not quite as loved as the 066, but still highly regarded. After milling one day it just died, and I suspected the worst (which ended up being the case). It had overheated and scored the piston. After taking it in and being told to toss it, I decided to try and fix myself. Replaced piston, rings etc. and a pile of other parts (all OEM). Learned a lot and really enjoyed the project.
All downhill from there!
I knew I had a problem after picking up this beast, a Stihl Contra (Lightning in North America). It's the machine that gave Stihl the boost they needed after losing all of their patents as part of WW2 reparations. Apparently they couldn't keep up with demand and we're chartering planes to get them distributed back in early 60's. This is the predecessor to the 070 and their biggest machine, the 090. They actually still make the 070 for the overseas market (and the same basic design for almost 60 years).
I got it locally in 2020 from a guy who's dad bought it new and had passed recently. It's sitting in the basement awaiting a restoration.
A few weeks later and I found another, this one a little newer (Stihl logo on recoil, not made by Fairbanks-Morse like earlier ones). It's missing the serial badge and was in a little rougher shape, but came with the original 25" bar. It was the sellers grandfather's saw, and he had plans to restore one day but things change as we know. I ended up doing a complete teardown, new crank bearings, but cleaned up piston/cylinder. All worn parts replaced (again all OEM - did as a challenge for myself more than anything else, parts from Germany and Australia). Had the muffler (cast aluminum) repaired locally. It's an absolute beast, smoky, heavy and loud =
. Can't imagine using all day in the woods!Here's a side-by-side (with a Case blade as a backdrop
Next up was an 041 which I just finished repairing and runs strong now.
Then some more relics, an 07 and an 031. After my Contra rebuild I wants to get it's smaller "cousin" which is the 07 (but it's still 75c's!). Both run well, but have yet to get into them further. I should have grabbed the Husky 266 the guy had too, but wife was with me lol.
Next up are some vintage classics from some other brands. Pioneer 1200, 1200a, 1074 and a Lombard Commango. The Skilsaw 1629 was too far gone to repair, so ended up selling it.
Browsing marketplace and happened on these 3. A pioneer 50s, a Mac Pro 1010 auto and a John Deere CS36 (made in Italy by EFCO/Olympyk). More excited for the Mac and Pioneer, both fire. Will get I to them later.
The latest acquisition is another Stihl, this time an 084. Runs well but needs new crank bearings. It is my new milling machine and will be the next project!
Thinks that's all of them, but probably not lol.
Sent from my Pixel 4a using Tapatalk
I feel a little inadequate with my pos homelite (home depot special ) 
Oh well , I would not be able to use most of them due to my upper back problems . Hell even when I fix them for customer I have to have them start them . I am hopping to get one of these .
Let the electric saws work at their own pace, IE don't force them and give them frequent touch and sniff tests to see if the motor is getting warm. If so give them a rest to cool down, they don't have the duty cycle of a gas saw.
Just can't get into production mod with them 
